Check-row for corn-planters



(No Model.)

8. D. SMITH.

CHECK RCW POR CORN PLANTERS."

PatentedNov. 18, 1884.

NITEH STATES aTnNT f Trice.

JOSEPH D. SMITH, our HOOIIFOHD, ILLINOIS.

CHECK-Row FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,336, dated November18, 1884.

Application led July 2,1884. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, JOSEPH D. SMITH, of Rockford, in the county ofVinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Checklows for Corn-Planters; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof',reference being had to the accompan ying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which l'orm part of this speciication, inwhich- Figure lis atop view of my improved checkrow planter. Fig. 2 is arear elevation of the same and a vertical section through one of theseed-dropping devices. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end ofthe machine.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one ofthe angular pulley-bearings, oneof the pulleys being removed to show the recess or depression for it.

This invention relates to check-row cornplanters wherein the dropping`devices are automatically actuated by knots on a rope or wire stretchedacross the field during the progress o1' the machine ,from one end ofthe iield to the other; and it consists in certain novel devicescombined with dropping devices of a suitable kind, whereby the operationof dropping the grains of corn in hills is accurately and simplyeffected, and also whereby the check-row devices are adjustable fordifferent droppers and for dropping at different distances, all of whichwill be fully undeistood from thefollowing description,when taken inconnection with the annexed drawings.

A designates the main beam of the machine, to which the seed-tubes ortubular standards B B of the curved runners and drill-openers C C arerigidly secured. rlhe rear ends of these drill-openers C C arebifurcated, so that the grains of corn fall between the bifurcationsinto the ground. The front upturned ends of the drill-openers aresecured to angleirons which are bolted rigidly to a front transversebeam, A'. To this beam A', and also to the main beam A at the middle ofthe length of the same, the draft-pole A2 is rigidly secured.

D D designate the seed-boxes or hoppers, having metal cellular bottoms aa, each constructed with four lugs, c', mounted on open frames b b,whichare screwed to the lugs of said bottoms a, so as to leave spaces forthey free play of perforated reciprocating slides c c, which areconnected together by a rod, d.

Each slide c is made of two longitudinally-adhoppers or seed-boxes D D.The front halves ofthe hopper-covers D D are rigidly secured to thehoppers, and to these hall-covers strong longitudinal slotted plates e eare rigidly secured, which project i'orward, as -shown in Fig. 1 Tothese longitudinallyslotted plates e e, I rigidly but adj ustablysecure, by means of screws or bolts, a transverse beam, E, to theextremities and on top of which are secured, by means ofangle-bracketsff, (having more orless elasticity,) V-shaped castings GG, the inner edges of which have raised nanges g g, which afford guidesfor the knotted wire or cord W, that actuates the dropping devices.These angle-castin gs G G are recessed on their upper surfaces, whichare inclined outward and downward, and into these recesses are appliedthe lower parts of grooved pulleys H H', which afford rolling guides forthe knotted wire and keep it in place on the machine.l The outer ends ofthe .angle-castings G G are scored out and constructed with curved lipsg' g', as shown in Fig. l. l

' The object of seating the lower ends of the rolling guide-pulleys II Hinto recesses made in the castings G G is to leave unobstructed surfaceson these castings for guiding the knotted cord or wire.

At the middle of' the 'length of the beam E,

to bifurcated vibrating arms I I, pivoted to the beam E near its endsand equidistant therefrom. brating arms I I. and secured on top of thebeam E, are bow springs .I J. the free ends oi" which are struck bytheir respective arms at each vibration thereof', thus preventing undueshock and concussion.

To the lower end of the oscillating post F is rigidly secured a slottedarm, Ii, to which is rigidly but adj ustably secured a groovedpivotwheel, Z, by means of a bolt, m, and a saddle, m.

To the pivot-wheel Z is loosely attached one end of a connecting-rod, n,the opposite end of which is pivoted to the front arm ot' a T- shapedplate, L, which is slotted in a direction with respect to the length olthe rod (Z, and rigidly but adjustably secured to this rod by means of ascrew and washer or a bolt, o.

The operation of my invention is as follows: A wire or rope knottedinthe well-known manner is vstretched across the tield and suitablysecured at its ends. If the machine is to be moved in the direction ot'the arrow on Fig. l, the knotted wire is passed between the guiderolls Hand flange on the lett-hand side oi' the machine, carried across the.machine between the forks ot' the vibrating arms I I, and passedbetween the guide-rolls H and their 'flange on the right-hand side ofthe machine. It' the machine is to be moved in a direction opposite tothat indicated by said arrow, the position of the wire is reversedthatis to say, it is passed in between the rolls H and their guide on theright-hand side of the machine.

As the machine progresses across the field, the knots on the wire XVwill successively strike the forked arms I I and transmit a recti-B'elow the lower forks of the said vi linear reciprocating motion to theseed-slides through the medium ofthe devices above described. The upperforked ends of the actuating-arms I I are moved simultaneously towardand from each other. Consequently each knot on the wire YV as it passesacross the machine will transmit two movements to the slides, or, inother words', each knot will cause two drops of corn. By adjusting thepivotwheel toward or from the axis of the oscillating` post F, thestrokes of the slides can be regulated, and by adjusting the plate L onthe rod Z an even stroke of the'slides can be obtained. The post F maybe also adjustable vertically, to adapt the parts to the heights ofseed-boxes of different machines.

Having described my invention, I claim as newl. The combination, withthe frame ot' a check-row. ofthe angle'castings inclined outward anddownward and recessed upo'ntheir' upper surfaces to'form seats for thegrooved pulleys, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied. i

2. The combination, with the frame of the checklrow, of theangle-castings having ledges at their inner edges and recessed upontheir surfaces, and the pulleys located in said recesses, whereby theknotted cord is-guided, substantially as and for the purposes specified.In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I aiiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH D. SMITH. Vv'itnesses:

W. T. ROBERTSON, M. STARR.

